Being heart healthy anything but boring

Published: Sunday, February 10, 2013 at 4:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, February 7, 2013 at 4:12 p.m.

Eating your vegetables and hitting the gym are great ways to keep your heart in shape. But there are other ways to love your heart — and enjoy yourself at the same time.

In honor of American Heart Month in February, consider a few of these suggestions from researchers:

Eat some dark chocolate. Studies have consistently shown that moderate amounts of dark chocolate have a beneficial effect on the heart.

The latest study was announced last summer in Australia, where researchers at Monash University in Melbourne determined that eating 3.5 ounces of dark chocolate daily over a 10-year period led to fewer heart attacks among the 2,000 study participants, all of whom were at high risk for heart attacks. The team concluded that 70 fatal and 15 non-fatal cardiovascular events per 10,000 people could be prevented over 10 years if patients at risk of having a heart attack ate dark chocolate every day.

In announcing the results, lead researcher Ella Zomer said the findings “indicate dark chocolate therapy could provide an alternative to or be used to complement drug therapeutics in people at high risk of cardiovascular disease.” Zomer’s research partner, Chris Reid, added that chocolate studies “have shown really good compliance rates.”

Other studies have shown similar results. In 2006, Dutch researchers studied a group of nearly 500 elderly men for 15 years, finding that those who ate the most cocoa-containing products were half as likely to die from cardiovascular disease as those who consumed the least. Again, the cocoa’s power to reduce blood pressure was cited as the likely cause.

Drink some red wine. Antioxidant polyphenols are also present in red wine.

According to the Mayo Clinic’s website, one polyphenol in particular — resveratrol — “may help protect the lining of blood vessels in your heart.”

There’s some evidence that non-alcoholic wine might have even more of a positive effect on the heart, since non-alcoholic wines also contain the same amount of polyphenols as their alcoholic cousins.

One study, published last fall in the journal Circulation Research, followed 67 men at high risk of heart disease. Every day for four weeks, some men drank red wine, others drank non-alcoholic red wine and others consumed gin. The results? Those who drank the non-alcoholic red wine had the greatest drop in blood pressure, while the red wine drinkers experienced a slight decrease in blood pressure and the gin drinkers saw no effect. The report concluded that “the daily consumption of dealcoholized red wine could be useful for the prevention of low to moderate hypertension.”

Make love to your spouse. It turns out that in addition to releasing endorphins, which produce a feeling of well-being, sex is a nice cardio workout for your heart.

In 2010, researchers published a study in the American Journal of Cardiology indicating that men who reported having sex once a month or less had a 45 percent higher risk of cardiovascular disease than men who reported having sex twice a week or more. Researchers theorized that men who are having regular sexual activity might be more likely to be in a supportive intimate relationship, which might have stress-reducing effects.

Other studies over the years have indicated that married couples experience less heart disease (as well as cancer and depression) than singles — even compared to those who are cohabitating.

Adopt a furry buddy. A 2012 study in the American Journal of Cardiology showed that having a pet can have a powerful effect on the body.

Researchers studied nearly 200 people and concluded that those who owned pets had more “adaptable” heart rates. An earlier study presented at a 2008 conference of the American Stroke Association, showed that people who never owned a cat had a 40 percent increased risk of death from a heart attack. Taking your new pet for a half-hour walk every day can also help your heart stay healthy.

Spice up a meal. Studies have repeatedly found a link between heart health and certain foods, including cayenne pepper and garlic.

To recap: On your way home from work today, stop by the local animal shelter to find a new friend and then go home to uncork a bottle of red wine, make a spicy meal, eat some dark chocolate for dessert, and make love to your spouse. Those are doctor’s orders.

<p>Eating your vegetables and hitting the gym are great ways to keep your heart in shape. But there are other ways to love your heart — and enjoy yourself at the same time.</p><p>In honor of American Heart Month in February, consider a few of these suggestions from researchers:</p><p>Eat some dark chocolate. Studies have consistently shown that moderate amounts of dark chocolate have a beneficial effect on the heart.</p><p>The latest study was announced last summer in Australia, where researchers at Monash University in Melbourne determined that eating 3.5 ounces of dark chocolate daily over a 10-year period led to fewer heart attacks among the 2,000 study participants, all of whom were at high risk for heart attacks. The team concluded that 70 fatal and 15 non-fatal cardiovascular events per 10,000 people could be prevented over 10 years if patients at risk of having a heart attack ate dark chocolate every day.</p><p>Dark chocolate — particularly that with a 70 percent or higher cocoa content — contains antioxidants called polyphenols that help keep blood vessels dilated and reduce blood pressure.</p><p>In announcing the results, lead researcher Ella Zomer said the findings “indicate dark chocolate therapy could provide an alternative to or be used to complement drug therapeutics in people at high risk of cardiovascular disease.” Zomer's research partner, Chris Reid, added that chocolate studies “have shown really good compliance rates.”</p><p>Other studies have shown similar results. In 2006, Dutch researchers studied a group of nearly 500 elderly men for 15 years, finding that those who ate the most cocoa-containing products were half as likely to die from cardiovascular disease as those who consumed the least. Again, the cocoa's power to reduce blood pressure was cited as the likely cause.</p><p>Drink some red wine. Antioxidant polyphenols are also present in red wine.</p><p>According to the Mayo Clinic's website, one polyphenol in particular — resveratrol — “may help protect the lining of blood vessels in your heart.”</p><p>There's some evidence that non-alcoholic wine might have even more of a positive effect on the heart, since non-alcoholic wines also contain the same amount of polyphenols as their alcoholic cousins.</p><p>One study, published last fall in the journal Circulation Research, followed 67 men at high risk of heart disease. Every day for four weeks, some men drank red wine, others drank non-alcoholic red wine and others consumed gin. The results? Those who drank the non-alcoholic red wine had the greatest drop in blood pressure, while the red wine drinkers experienced a slight decrease in blood pressure and the gin drinkers saw no effect. The report concluded that “the daily consumption of dealcoholized red wine could be useful for the prevention of low to moderate hypertension.”</p><p>Make love to your spouse. It turns out that in addition to releasing endorphins, which produce a feeling of well-being, sex is a nice cardio workout for your heart.</p><p>In 2010, researchers published a study in the American Journal of Cardiology indicating that men who reported having sex once a month or less had a 45 percent higher risk of cardiovascular disease than men who reported having sex twice a week or more. Researchers theorized that men who are having regular sexual activity might be more likely to be in a supportive intimate relationship, which might have stress-reducing effects.</p><p>Other studies over the years have indicated that married couples experience less heart disease (as well as cancer and depression) than singles — even compared to those who are cohabitating.</p><p>Adopt a furry buddy. A 2012 study in the American Journal of Cardiology showed that having a pet can have a powerful effect on the body.</p><p>Researchers studied nearly 200 people and concluded that those who owned pets had more “adaptable” heart rates. An earlier study presented at a 2008 conference of the American Stroke Association, showed that people who never owned a cat had a 40 percent increased risk of death from a heart attack. Taking your new pet for a half-hour walk every day can also help your heart stay healthy.</p><p>Spice up a meal. Studies have repeatedly found a link between heart health and certain foods, including cayenne pepper and garlic.</p><p>Garlic contains allicin, which reduces blood pressure. Cayenne pepper, or capsaicin, lowers cholesterol and blood pressure while boosting circulation.</p><p>To recap: On your way home from work today, stop by the local animal shelter to find a new friend and then go home to uncork a bottle of red wine, make a spicy meal, eat some dark chocolate for dessert, and make love to your spouse. Those are doctor's orders.</p>